Highlights ‘AAP has mortgaged Punjab,’ says Cong leader Navjot Singh Sidhu

Senior Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday said, "AAP has mortgaged Punjab. In today's time, people are feeling cheated. The Congress party had earlier said that all these people who are promising amenities free of cost, from where will the money come? Kejriwal said that people will come back to Punjab from abroad but their own children are outside."

The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Saturday said the "haste" with which the Supreme Court is disposing of the petitions for legal recognition to same-sex marriages is not appropriate and it should have sought the opinion of religious leaders and experts from diverse fields, reported PTI. 

A ship carrying Saudi citizens and other nationals rescued from battle-scarred Sudan arrived Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi television said, in the first announced evacuation of civilians since fighting began.

"The first evacuation vessel from Sudan has arrived, carrying 50 (Saudi) citizens and a number of nationals from friendly countries," the state-run Al-Ekhbariya television said, showing warships near the dock. (AFP)

Karnataka Minister Murugesh Nirani, who is contesting the Assembly elections from Bilgi constituency on a BJP ticket, has been booked after 963 traditional silver lamps worth ₹21.45 lakh were seized from the factory staff quarters under Mudhol Police Station limits on Friday.

The minister, holding the Large and Medium Scale Industries portfolio has been booked under Section 171H of the IPC related to "illegal payments in connection with an election." (PTI)

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy on Saturday successfully conducted a maiden flight trial of a sea-based endo-atmospheric interceptor missile off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal. According to a statement by the defense ministry, the purpose of the trial was to engage and neutralize a hostile ballistic missile threat, thereby elevating the country into the elite club of nations having Naval Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) capability.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Saturday held talks with his Portuguese counterpart, kicking off his first European tour since resuming office in January, amid tensions with the West over the war in Ukraine, reports AFP.

A subcommittee of the Japanese health ministry's Pharmaceutical Affairs and Food Sanitation Council on Friday approved an abortion pill developed by Britain's Linepharma International Ltd - Mefeego pill pack, reported Japan Times.

It would provide an alternative to a surgical procedure amid calls for progress in women's reproductive rights and gender equality. In Japan, abortions have been usually performed with metal instruments. As this procedure is invasive, medical experts and others are calling for introduction of abortion pills in Japan. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a two-day tour on April 24 and 25 with power packed schedule to cover an aerial distance of around 5300 Km across India. In this visit, Modi will attend eight programmes and travel to seven different cities.

Starting from Delhi in the north, PM will first travel to central India - Madhya Pradesh. Thereafter, he will go to Kerala in the South, which will be followed by his visit to Silvassa via Surat and then Daman in the West, eventually returning back to Delhi. 

Kerala has been put on high alert after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state office received a threat letter against the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Read more

Congress on Saturday expelled Assam Youth Congress president Angkita Dutta from the party for six years, for "anti-party activities", ANI reported.

Recently, she came forward with allegations of harassment against Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Srinivas BV and his secretary in-charge Vardhan Yadav, which she claims had been ongoing for six months.

India recorded 12,193 new cases and 10,765 recoveries in the last 24 hours, according to the union health ministry's data on Saturday. The active caseload stood at 67,556.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday at a gathering to mark Eid celebrations in Kolkata said, “We want peace in Bengal. We don't want riots. We want peace. We don't want divisions in the country. Those who want to create divides in the country - I promise today on Eid, I am ready to give my life but I will not let the country divide.” (ANI)

Fire broke out at Vikas Bhawan near ITO on Saturday and four fire tenders are present at the spot. Fire fighting operations are underway. Details awaited.

Muslims throughout India observed special prayers on the auspicious occasion of 'Eid-ul-Fitr' following the official confirmation of the moon sighting on Saturday.

The US Air National Guardsman accused of leaking classified documents to a small group of gamers had been posting sensitive information months earlier than previously known, Reuters reported citing the New York Times. Read more

The US Supreme Court on Friday temporarily preserved access to an abortion pill, mifepristone, freezing rulings by lower courts that would have banned or severely restricted availability of the drug, AFP reported. Read more